Grow Up – The Presidential Prayer Team

Speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ. – Ephesians 4:15

Grow up! Have you ever said that to someone who is acting immature or maybe someone has said it to you? In Ephesians 4, the apostle Paul talks about growing up in Christ. From the time someone accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior until the time they meet Him face to face, they are in the process of maturing in Christ, becoming more like Him in character, day after day.

One aspect of growing up is speaking the truth in love. Truth can be warm and comforting, such as “God loves you.” Sometimes the truth can be tough or prickly. For instance, the way to Heaven is a narrow way. Referring to Jesus, Paul says, “For there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Or someone may need to be confronted about a sin or wrongdoing. While sometimes, as Dr. James Dobson wrote about at length, love must be tough, Paul also said to treat each other with “humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love” (Ephesians 4:2).

The apostle describes, in Ephesians 4, all believers doing their part as Christ’s body to grow in unity and build itself up in love. As you pray today, ask the Lord to strengthen you to speak the truth, be it pleasant or difficult, in His love. Pray for the country, both its governing officials and citizens, that truth will be clear and deception removed. Ask that eyes will be opened to Jesus as the truth. Pray that the church will grow into spiritual maturity and unity in Christ.

Today’s Verse: Ephesians 4:15

Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,

All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Recommended for further reading: Ephesians 4:1-16

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, ²with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, ³eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. ⁴There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— ⁵one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. ⁷But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. ⁸Therefore it says,

“When he ascended on high he led a host of captives,
    and he gave gifts to men.”

⁹(In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? ¹⁰He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) ¹¹And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, ¹²to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, ¹³until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, ¹⁴so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. ¹⁵Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, ¹⁶from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.